Moore, Woodland set up Monday playoff in Malaysia

REUTERS - Americans Ryan Moore and Gary Woodland set up a Monday playoff after finishing tied on 14-under at the weather-hit CIMB Classic in Malaysia on Sunday.

Play was halted for three hours and then again for another 30 minutes due to lightning and thunderstorm and by the time the leading group had finished their regulation round, darkness had engulfed the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Woodland, who started a shot behind Moore in the last round, narrowly missed a 10-foot putt for a birdie on the par-five 18th hole, which could have earned him his third PGA Tour title.

"I made it when I looked up, and it just broke too much at the end there," the 29-year-old told reporters after his round of three-under 69, which contained five birdies and two bogeys.

"But it was a tough day, and obviously to come down to the last putt, obviously I'd like to have made it, but I wouldn't do anything different.

"I hit it where I wanted to, and unfortunately it didn't go in."

The 31-year-old Moore, who had the lead after the first round and a share of the top spot after the third in the $7 million event, gained a shot on the par-four 16th to climb up beside Woodland.

"To have to come back tomorrow for a playoff is not the worst thing ever," Moore said. "I'm just happy to be in it.

"I was scrambling there on the last hole just to somehow make a par and kind of see what happens at that point, and fortunately I still get another shot at it."

Big-hitting Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who is leading the Asian Tour's money list, finished one shot behind the leaders alongside American Chris Stroud, who had a share of the lead coming into Sunday.

Left-hander Phil Mickelson finally seemed to have solved his swing problems but met a foe in his putter.

He managed just a single birdie during a two-over 74 and finished tied for the 19th spot with a host of players including American Bo Van Pelt, who scorched the course with nine birdies and a double bogey for a 65.

"Despite the score, (this) was the best I hit it and the best the swing felt," Mickelson said. "I actually feel like I have some direction heading into next week's HSBC Champions in Shanghai, and I'm looking forward to playing it.

"It got progressively better. Unfortunately, the score today didn't reflect the fact that I played a lot better than the first three rounds but I have something to build on now for next week." (Writing by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Pritha Sarkar)